All-rounder Riyan Parag has been assigned captaincy of Rajasthan Royals for the first three matches of IPL 2025 as their regular skipper Sanju Samson, who is recuperating from a finger injury, is set to play as a batter till he gets cleared for wicketkeeping and fielding duties.

Samson, who suffered a finger surgery last month, joined the RR squad on Monday following his rehab at the National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He is likely to play as an Impact Sub in the IPL, with Dhruv Jurel likely to take up wicketkeeping duties.

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“I’m not completely fit for three or more games. I think there are a lot of leaders from this group. From the last few years, there have been great people who have taken care of this environment really nicely. But for the three games, Riyan will be leading. He is well capable to do it and I expect everyone to be with him and support him,” Samson made the announcement in a video posted by the official RR handle.

Samson will return as captain once fully fit, an RR release said.

Meanwhile, for Riyan, this will be his first captaincy stint in the IPL, making him the fifth youngest to do so. He has been part of RR since 2019 and was retained by the franchise for Rs 14 crore ahead of the mega auction last year. In the 2024 IPL, he finished with 573 runs, the most by an RR batter and third-highest overall, and hit four half-centuries which even helped him earn a T20I and an ODI debut for India.

“Rajasthan Royals’ decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise’s confidence in his leadership, a skill he has demonstrated through his tenure as Assam’s domestic captain,” a statement from the franchise said.

“Having been a crucial member of the Royals setup over the years, his understanding of the team’s dynamic makes him well-equipped to step into this role for the initial phase of the tournament.”

The Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with an away match against Sunrisers

Hyderabad on March 23, marking Parag’s captaincy debut, before the Assam boy returned to Guwahati for the team’s two home matches in the city. The Royals will take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in their second home ground in the Northeastern city.

This milestone also makes Riyan the first Assamese player to lead an IPL franchise, marking a proud achievement for the region. Parag has been leading Assam in the domestic circuit, and won 10 of 17 matches in T20 cricket between 2021 and 2023, averaging 67.09 and striking at 167.72.